CASA FERREIRINHA 'Barca Velha' Douro Tinto 2015 Bottle

Description

Barca Velha 2015 is an exceptional vintage that exemplifies the renowned quality of this prestigious Portuguese wine, earning 97 points from James Suckling and 95 points from The Wine Advocate. This vintage showcases a deep, complex bouquet, featuring aromas of dark berries, warm stones, and floral notes, including hints of violets. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with a beautifully restrained character, offering formidable concentration and fine-grained tannins that frame its flavours. Jancis Robinson awarded it 18.5+ points, noting its rich, spicy black fruit and exceptional balance. The Wine Advocate highlights its complexity, reflecting a blend of Touriga Francesa and Touriga Nacional. With great ageing potential, this remarkable wine is best enjoyed from 2024 to 2034.

*****

The impeccable standards demanded of a Barca-Velha vintage are renowned. Since 1952, only 21 vintages have earned the accolade of Douro’s best, as inscribed by Casa Ferreirinha. The decision taken by its winemakers brings a sense of joy and responsibility, in equal measure. Vibrant, character, and persistence are some of the adjectives used by winemaker Luís de Sottomayor to describe the wine, but its impressive longevity best defines Barca-Velha 2015.

“2015 was a short and atypical harvest, but it was outstanding in terms of quality. Low levels of rainfall and two hot months of July and August contributed to the production of very complex wines with good structure and vibrant fruitiness”, stated the winemaker, who always had “great conviction regarding the destiny of this vintage”.

JAMES SUCKLING 97 points
The 2015 Barca Velha shows aromas of dark berries, warm stones, cigar box and garrigue, as well as a floral, violet-like note. The nose is vivid, but the palate is restrained, with a mysterious charm. Formidable concentration, fine-grained tannins and timid dark-fruit flavors. There is an underlying structure that should evolve nicely over the years. It has a serious profile. Fragrant and structured with an elegant element. Better in five years. - Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor

JANCIS ROBINSON 18.5+ points
Deepest crimson with purple rim. Rich, spicy black fruit, dark and savoury like the Douro's best. Blackcurrant and blueberry sweetness. Ultra-fine tannins, so refined, elegant and incredibly well balanced for such a young Barca Velha. Powerful but so harmonious you barely feel the power. Immense length. The tannins are extremely fine and a little thicker than in the 1999. As it opens, there's more violets and more of Touriga Nacional's floral perfume. The tannins build in the mouth but they are still refined, polished – smoother at this age than they would have been in the older wines, I suspect. Head winemaker Luís Sottomayor described the 2015 as having 'The body and structure of 2011 but the freshness and elegance from 2008'. (JH)

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Drink Date: 2024 - 2034
I hate the comparison of Barca Velha with Vega Sicilia because they don't have much in common other than being historical wines in Portugal and Spain, respectively. But I must say that the 2015 Barca Velha makes me think of a modern Vega Sicilia because of the nose, which is spicy and smoky, with ripe berry fruit, notes of graphite, herbs, flowers and spices. Well, and they are both wines from the Douro/Duero River... This was produced with a blend of grapes from Quinta da Leda and other higher-altitude places in the Douro Superior and is composed of 43% Touriga Francesa, 40% Touriga Nacional, 10% Sousão, 5% Tinto Cão and 2% Tinta Roriz. 2015 was a balanced year, not cold(-ish) like 2008 and not as warm as 2011, which changes the blend between higher- and lower-altitude vineyards. It matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, close to 75% of them new. The palate is a little lighter than I expected, only medium-bodied, with abundant tannins and a dry finish. 16,672 bottles produced. It was bottled in 2017 and kept in bottle for seven years.